The Green Bay Packers were forced to make do without star running back Aaron Jones during Monday Night Football against the Las Vegas Raiders, and it remains unclear whether he will return coming out of the bye in Week 6 after he experienced a setback with his hamstring injury leading up to the prime-time bout.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said in Monday’s postgame that Jones “wanted desperately” to play against the Raiders in Week 5, but he made a collective decision with the team’s medical staff and general manager Brian Gutekunst to hold him out and avoid making the injury worse with a 13-day break between games coming up.
“[We] definitely felt it was in the best interest to not risk it,” LaFleur said Monday night. “He wanted to go, and this guy is battling. … He wanted desperately to be out there today and to help his team, but we have a lot of football in front of us. We’ve got 12 games in front of us, and we’re going to need him for the duration of those.
Jones has been dealing with a hamstring issue since pulling up lame after his 35-yard touchdown catch against the Chicago Bears in Week 1. While he did return to the lineup on a pitch count in Week 4, LaFleur said Jones “felt a little something” in his hamstring during Saturday’s final practice of the week and, as a result, was not cleared to play.
As to whether Jones will return against the Denver Broncos in Week 7, LaFleur could only say what is likely on the mind of the entire Packers fanbase moving forward.
“I sure as hell hope so,” LaFleur told reporters on Tuesday.